§ MR. BRADLAUGHI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury when he will be able to lay upon the Table the Treasury Minute as to the Civil Service; and, whether he is aware that the delay and uncertainty is prejudicially affecting the efficiency of the Service?
§ MR. H. LAWSON (St. Pancras, W.)Is the First Lord of the Treasury aware of the great anxiety on the part of the Civil Servants that the Treasury Minute should be laid on the Table of the House early enough to allow of an adequate discussion being taken upon the matter?
§ * THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY(Mr. W. H. SMITH, ) Strand, WestminsterI am aware of the desire that this Treasury Minute should be produced as soon as possible; it is the desire of the Government that it should be; but the hon. Gentleman must be aware that very great responsibility rests upon the Government in dealing with such an important question, which requires very careful examination and consideration before the terms of the Minute are decided upon and laid on the Table of the House. There has been much conference between various Departments of the State on the question, and our hope is that an arrangement will be arrived at which will be satisfactory to the House and the country, and which will do justice to the Civil Service. I trust hon. Gentlemen will allow us a sufficient interval to enable us to produce a Minute which will be, in our judgment, sufficient and adequate. With regard to the question of the hon. Member for Northampton, I am not aware that the delay is prejudicially affecting the interests of the Service. I believe that the Civil servants as a whole are loyal and devoted to the interests of the country; and that although they are anxious to see the decision of the Government, and will be glad when the matter is finally disposed of, there is no symptom whatever of any prejudicial effect on the service of the country.
§ MR. H. H. FOWLER (Wolverhampton, E.)How is it proposed to carry out these changes? Will an Order in Council be required?
§ * MR. W. H. SMITHNo doubt an Order in Council will be necessary to carry them out. The Order will be based on the Treasury Minute, which will state the arguments and conclusions of the Commissioners. The Order in Council will be issued in order to give effect to the Minute.
§ MR. BRADLAUGHI put the question upon the Paper because the right hon. Gentleman in answer to the Chairman of the Commission stated just before Whitsuntide that he hoped to be able to lay the Minute on the Table soon after the holidays.
§ * MR. W. H. SMITHThe hon. Member can hardly be aware of the extreme pressure which the Treasury and responsible Members of the Government have to encounter in dealing with questions of this kind.